Vinnie Sperrazza, Jacob Sacks, Masa Kamaguchi - Play Cy Coleman (2013)

Drummer Vinnie Sperrazza grew up in the Utica, New York area, and earned a degree in jazz studies from William Paterson University. While at WPU, he began a long-term musical relationship with the legendary pianist James Williams, which continued until Mr. Williams' passing in July 2004. Through the auspices of Mr. Williams, he performed in many memorable club engagements, concerts, and recordings with such individuals as Clark Terry, Bill Mobley, Steve Wilson, Javon Jackson, Richard Davis, and Mulgrew Miller.

Since moving to Brooklyn in 2002, he has been an in-demand sideman, and has made a name for himself as a leader. The Matt Blostein/Vinnie Sperrazza Band performed extensively in New York and across the US in support of their albums Ursa Minor (ENV 0701) on Envoi Recordings, and Paraphrase (YY 0006) on Yeah Yeah Records.

Fresh Sound Records, the Barcelona-based independent jazz label, has released two trio albums organized by Sperrazza and pianist Jacob Sacks. Peak Inn (FS 343), with Sacks and bassist Dave Ambrosio, focussed on improvisation, while Barcelona Holiday (FS 373) with Sacks and bassist Masa Kamaguchi, was a program of standards and jazz classics. The trio of Sacks, Kamaguchi, and Sperrazza completed a tour of Spain and Portugal in the fall of 2011, and the album was chosen as an "Honorable Mention- Best of 2011" by The New York Jazz Record.

Recent releases include the acclaimed debut recording by 40twenty, a collective group featuring trombonist Jacob Garchik, Jacob Sacks, and Dave Ambrosio, and he is currently at work preparing Apocryphal (working title was Summa Heretica), an album of Sperrazza's compositions. Also a dedicated music educator, he is the co-ordinator of both the Queens College CPSM Jazz Program and the JCC Jazz Program at the JCC Thurnauer School of Music, a Teaching Artist with Midori and Friends, and maintains a private practice at his home in Brooklyn, NY.

He has performed in concerts, clubs, and festivals in the US, Canada, Japan, and Europe, including the prestigious North Sea Jazz Festival, the NYC Winter Jazz Festival, and the Tanglewood Jazz Festival, had his work reviewed by the New York Jazz Record, All About Jazz, Jazztimes, and Downbeat, and Ben Ratliff of the New York Times singled out his "glassy, decaying tone" in a 2010 review of a concert. He has had the honor and privilege of performing with such great New York musicians as Tony Malaby, Joe McPhee, Rich Perry, Joel Frahm, Wayne Escoffery, Jimmy Greene, Rick Margitza, Lenny Pickett, Ellery Eskelin, Roy Nathanson, Michael Attias, Dave Binney, Jon Irabagon, Loren Stillman, Ohad Talmor, Dave Scott, John McNeil, Shane Endsley, Dave Douglas, Ralph Alessi, Stew and The Negro Problem, Judith Berkson, Jim Black, Ben Gerstein, Dominic Duval, Thomas Morgan, Chris Lightcap, Brad Shepik, Steve Cardenas, and Miles Okazaki.

Tracklist:

1. Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep 4:50
2. I've Got Your Number 6:37
3. If My Friends Could See Me Now 2:41
4. Best Is Yet To Come 2:58
5. I'm Going to Laugh You / Right Out of My Life 6:51
6. Dorothy's Dilemma 7:02
7. If My Friends Could See Me Now (Drum Reprise) 2:25
8. Big Spender 2:44
9. One, Two, Three 3:47
10. Witchcraft 7:32
11. Playboy's Theme 6:48
12. Why Try to Change Me Now? 2:32

Personnel:

Vinnie Sperrazza (drums)
Jacob Sacks (piano)
Masa Kamaguchi (bass)